A New Life
by brandibug1991
Summary: The story follows Kagome and InuYasha's daughter, Maemi. She is part-time miko, part-time high school student. Her life will be suddenly turned upside down by a visitor at her family's village. How she will deal with the new found responsibility is the question. Rated T for now. (On Hiatus)


_ I am Maemi, daughter to InuYasha and Kagome. I live in two worlds, the "present," and "Sengoku Jidai." When I was younger, I lived in Sengoku Jidai only, but when I hit five, I was split between the two, so I could go to school and get an education. But I looked different. _

_ I am a hanyou, or half youkai and half human. I have dog ears, like my father, and amber eyes. But my hair is of my mother's, black and long-flowing. I have two younger brothers, who look identical to my father. My mother appreciates one of her children looking like her._

_ In the present, I live with my grandmother five days a week. I go to school at the nearby high school. Because of work my parents are doing in Sengoku Jidai, the future has changed and youkai and humans live together, and I represent my mother and father in public affairs if they cannot attend. I also work part time at my family shrine as a miko; I have spiritual powers like my mother. Kaede-sama, in Sengoku Jidai, was surprised since I have youkai blood._

_ I visit the Sengoku Jidai on the weekends, and during the school breaks there (holidays like Christmas are spent in the present with my parents). I am the Protector of the Shikon no Tama in both worlds, and must fight youkai in both worlds. I am a master in both sword and bow, because of training from my father and Kaede-sama, who recently passed away._

* * *

Crickets chirped as a young hanyou woke from her slumber. A sliver of orange appeared over the horizon as she walked out of the temple that was recently build in the small village. In the corner of the temple were two burial shrines for the late Kikyou, and her younger sister, Kaede.

After washing her face in the stream, the hanyou got dressed in her miko attire and did her daily chores: she prayed, swept the temple, purified the Shikon no Tama (since her youkai blood slightly tainted it throughout the night, when she could not control it), and visited the ill of the small village.

By early afternoon, she finally was free to do what she wished. Her black hair was bound behind her shoulders by a loose, white ribbon, a gift from Kaede a few years ago. Children were running about, giggling and twirling pinwheels. The hanyou smiled and continued walking. Finally, she got to the edge of the village, where the newest huts were. Outside of the huts, a kitsune youkai, a young man, stood watching two little hanyou.

"Shippou-kun," the miko called, "how are you?"

"Hi, Mae-chan," he responded. He had auburn hair pulled back in a loose ponytail. Shippou lived with InuYasha and Kagome, and opted to babysit their two youngest boys, who were four year old twins. They had short, silver hair and amber eyes; a mirror image of InuYasha. "Your mom and dad are talking with a few daimyo."

"Daimyo, huh?" Maemi responded, picking up one of her two brothers, Daisuke, and hugged him. Her other little brother, Hansuke, was picking weeds from in front of the hut. "How are you two, Otouto?"

"Good!" Daisuke shouted happily, making Maemi's ears ring from the high pitch.

Maemi turned towards Hansuke, "And what about you, Hansuke-chan?"

"I'm fine," Hansuke said softly, still pulling weeds.

Maemi smiled and set Daisuke down, letting him continue doing whatever the four year old was doing. Maemi stretched her arms high, enjoying the afternoon warmth.

"So why daimyo?" Maemi asked Shippou.

"Kagome-san was hoping to speak with the Shogun, but he won't see someone mingling with youkai." Shippou sighed. He looked about twenty in human years, but Shippou was far older than Maemi. Because of most of Maemi's blood being human, she aged regularly, as did her little brothers. But since puberty, her aging has slowed drastically, probably the youkai blood slowing things down.

"So why talk to daimyo if the Shogun won't speak to you?" Maemi questioned.

"Simple: persuasion."

"Ah..." Maemi nodded. "When will they be back?"

"This evening. They asked me to have you do dinner," Shippou stated.

Maemi nodded and decided to leave to visit with other friends. Their huts were not far from her own, and she needed to ask for help with the temple. It was against tradition, and Maemi knew Kaede and Kikyou would haunt her nightmares, but being gone most of the time, the temple chores piled up.

On the very edge of the villege was a small collection of huts, for a large family to stay together. A couple of the huts were empty, being prepared for newly weds. This was Sango and Miroku's family, who were probably with Maemi's parents talking with Daimyo. But her business resided with her friends, Sango and Miroku's children.

Maemi entered the main hut, and found the twin daughters, Hana and Tsuki. They looked so much like Sango. In their faces there was a hint of Miroku. They were the only daughters to Miroku and Sango, and they have three younger brothers. Hana kept her hair in a ponytail, to keep it out of her face. Tsuki, on the other hand, enjoyed showing off her beauty, by wearing make up and letting her hair down all the time.

"Mae-chan, how have you been?" Tsuki acknowledged Maemi's presence.

"Fine, fine," Maemi replied. She folded her arms in her sleeves. "I do have a favor to ask one or both of you. It looks like a couple of you are about to be wed, however."

"Tsuki-chan and Hiro-chan," Hana stated abruptly.

"Ah," Maemi smiled at Tsuki's scowling look, "then my favor lies with you, Hana-chan." Maemi waited for visual acknowledgement. Hana looked confused, enough to let Maemi continue. "I need help at the temple. I'm not here all the time, and I need to train someone to help if I'm not here."

Hana agreed, and Maemi explained training started the next morning, but to be at the shrine after dinner. Maemi left the hut and continued her day, which involved walking out to the fields and gathering herbs since a couple of people in the village were sick. She then returned to the ill by late afternoon and gave them herbs to help them.

After tending to the ill, she returned to her family's hut to do dinner like her mother asked. It would only be a soup, since there wasn't a whole lot to cook, or to do to the food. She entered the empty hut and started a fire. Cooking was dull in Sengoku Jidai, she preferred cooking in the present. Maemi enjoyed baking and making candies, but it was difficult to do those things without a stove, or a candy thermometer.

By evening, everyone in Maemi's family was inside, including her parents. After eating, the conversations began. Joking with the little boys, mostly. But Maemi knew her parents, and knew that after the boys went to sleep, the adults needed to speak outside.

The boys fell asleep fast, and the adults did as they knew, walking outside. InuYasha was tallest, looking about twenty in human years. Due to mating, Kagome still looked young. It was "until death do we part." Until one of them died, they were aging at InuYasha's slow speed. Maemi liked this because it would mean they aged appropriately, and wouldn't have to watch her mother die at a young age.

"So how is school?" Kagome asked Maemi.

"Slow, I enjoy it here... Minus the fact I have to walk calmly everywhere. That kills me." Maemi was rambling. It had been about a week since she had seen her family.

"Heh," InuYasha chucked, "you're like me, brat." He ruffled Maemi's hair, like a child. Maemi missed this. She leaned in and hugged her father. InuYasha smiled and returned the hug.

"I miss you guys a lot. Two more years and I can spend more time here," Maemi said, taking in the smell of her father.

"No college?" Kagome sounded shocked.

"You didn't go," Maemi returned hastily. She looked scared, knowing the terrifying truth behind Kagome's anger. But it never came. "Anyway..." Maemi pulled away from InuYasha's grasp, "What happened with the daimyo?"

Kagome and InuYasha explained that the daimyo agreed that not all demons were mindless, bloodthirsty idiots. They agreed to try and do treaties with the more powerful demons. Maemi smiled at this news. She grew up in the present, where it was obvious what Kagome and InuYasha had done: demons and humans lived together in peace. Right now in the present, hanyou are getting recognized as equals, even though extremists on both sides of the spectrum ruined it. Maemi had no doubt that her parents would fail. But it still made her happy.

"That's great, Kagome-san!" Shippou hugged Kagome.

"It is," Kagome laughed. "How is everyone in the village, Maemi-chan?"

"Mm, a couple of the older residents are sick, and I gave them herbs before starting dinner. Also looks like Tsuki-chan and Hiroshi-chan are getting married soon." Maemi pointed out.

"Yeah, to a family from a nearby village. The family had a son and daughter, both fell in love with them," Shippou explained.

"Why'd you go over there?" InuYasha asked.

"I need help at the temple. After we talk here, I'll be meeting Hana-chan at the temple. Tomorrow I start her training." Maemi explained simply.

"Does she even have spiritual power?" Shippou asked.

"Everyone does," Kagome explained. "Just we need to harness it. Kikyou-san, Maemi-chan and I had little difficulty doing so. But Kaede-sama and, most likely, Hana-chan will have some challenge."

"Oh," InuYasha and Shippou said together.

Maemi parted ways with her family and ran to the temple. No one was outside, the moon was shining down on her, it made her eager to sprint. But the village was small, and her run short. She stopped at the entrance at the top of the stairs. Hana was there already, praying at the little shrine inside. Maemi smiled and stood next to her, praying. No one needed to know that Maemi was Christian, so long as she prayed mentally. After the prayers, Maemi gave Hana miko clothing to wear, and they went to sleep.


End file.
